Deodorized garbage compactor and appurtenances

ABSTRACT

A garbage compactor and appurtenances, loading hoppers, conveyor chutes and the like having a source of ultra-violet light mounted to irradiate the light upon garbage as well as the space through which garbage is passed, contained, or compressed, the irradiation being effective to destroy garbage odors emanating from the garbage or garbage-contaminated surfaces.

United States Patent [191 Jernstrom [111 3,831,514 [451 Aug. 27, 1974 DEODORIZED GARBAGE COMPACTOR AND APPURTENANCES [76] Inventor: Karl W. Jemstrom, 22 Island Trl.,

Sparta, NJ. 07871 [22] Filed: Jan. 7, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 216,007

52 us. Cl 100/70, 21/55, 2l/DIG. 2,

[51] Int. Cl B30b 9/00 [58] Field of Search 21/102 R, DIG. 2, 55;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,212,330 8/1940 Thomas 21/DIG. 2

2,887,204 5/1959 Giuliano 2,941,265 6/1960 lsenberg et al. 21/55 X 3,460,463 8/1969 Jernstrom 100/52 3,556,619 1/1971 Bottas et al. 100/45 UX I 3,604,179 9/1971 Lund 100/70 UX 3,604,345 9/1971 Boje 100/71 X 3,695,172 10/1972 Cleary et al. 100/45 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 897,910 11/1953 Germany 21/102 R OTHER PUBLICATIONS Manufacturing Chemist March 1953, pgs. 105-110 Article by Dr. W. Summer copy in group 170.

Primary ExaminerBilly J. Wilhite [571 I ABSTRACT vA garbage compactor and appurtenances, loading hoppers, conveyor chutes and the like having a source of ultra-violet light mounted to irradiate the light upon garbage as well as the space through which garbage is passed, contained, or compressed, the irradiation being effective to destroy garbage odors emanating from the garbage or garbage-contaminated surfaces.

6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures Y AIT'TT PATENTED 3.831.514

SMIZE 2 FIG. 5

DEODORIZED GARBAGE COMPACTOR AND APPURTENANCES This invention relates to a garbage compactor having means for deodorizing the interior thereof and, more particularly, to the combination of the garbage con tainer such as a compactor and a source of ultra-violet light for irradiating the interior of the compactor to inhibit the formation or to destroy odoriferous gases or vapors.

Ultra-violet light generating lamps such as the common Westinghouse STERILAMP have been known for many years. See, for instance, Advances in Chemistry series, No. 21, pgs. 57 65 [1959], as well as the American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal, Vol. 25, pgs. 274 281, May June [1964]. These lamps were known to have a strong bacteriocidal effect. Most commonly such lamps have been placed in rooms and sometimes in food storage chambers to preserve the food by destruction of bacteria. However, the destruction of bacteria by this means is only a surface effect i.e. to destroy bacteria upon the surface of the foods, since the ultra-violet light does not penetrate deeply. For deeper penetration or deeper bacterial destruction beneath the surface of a product to be preserved, a more penetrating radiation such as gamma rays emitted by radioactive cobalt isotopes or the like are most conventionally used.

According to the present invention it is found that the mounting of an ultra-violet light irradiating source such as a mercury vapor lamp of the STERILAMP type upon a garbage compactor to irradiate ultra-violet light upon the open spaces above compacted garbage or on the walls and open spaces from which the compacted garbage was removed, serves to create an insulated vapor barrier above the garbage-contaminated walls and the garbage, which vapor barrier may contain some ozone effective to oxidize such emitted odoriferous vapors and to destroy bacteria above the waste, without practically affecting the bacterial content of the garbage except superficially upon exposed surface portions thereof. This would appear to be only a superficial or lightsurface treatment of the normally foul vapors accumulating above'the surface of the walls and garbage in a garbage compactor; but, nevertheless, it is found to suffice to render the garbage compactor, whether full or empty, to be substantially nonodoriferous.

The combination of a garbage compactor with a source of ultra-violet light irradiating spaces above the garbage compacted therein is a surprising and important advance in this art since it overcomes one of the great weaknesses of mounting and storing a compactor handy for use in a kitchen, apartment or larger garbage disposal area. That compactor has been heretofore relatively undesirably placed in a kitchen area because of the foul odors emitted by the compactor, either full or empty. It is found, despite the character of the garbage, its bacterial content, or its tendency'to evolve odors, that the mounting of a mercury vapor lamp in a position to emit ultra-violet light upon the inner walls of the compactor surface of the garbage, either compacted or in the process thereof, or upon the empty compactor contaminated with traces of the compacted garbage upon which the unit has been operating earlier, forms an insulating deodorized vapor or gaseous component filling the space of the empty compactor, or filling the -2 space above the garbage contained therein, so that opening of the compactor filled or empty of garbage will not evolve an odoriferous vapor into the kitchen space in which the compactor is often used.

In this respect, particularly in allowing the compactor to be placed inside a house or apartment, even in a kitchen or near food, the ability to use the compactor without the emanation of objectionable odors represents an important advance in the art of compactors.

The invention is further described with reference to the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a compactor such as shown in my prior US. Pat. No. 3,460,463, combined with an ultra-violet lamp in perspective;

F IG. 2 is a section taken through the lamp and top of the compactor on which it is mounted along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end section of the lamp and top of the compactor taken on the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows an upper portion of a modified compactor in perspective having a hopper in which is mounted radiation means;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the modified compactor of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a garbage chute having walls in which are mounted radiation means.

The compactor described herein is the same as shown in my prior patent, and as shown in FIG. 1 comprises a rectangular housing 10, comprising sides 12, a top 14 and a forward end 16 all preferably attractively painted or enameled of thin plate to heavy gauge metal as is usual for these purposes, and supported as described in my prior patent. A drawer element 22 is mounted for sliding movement in the upper portion of the rectangular closure and is opened and closed manually by a handle 24.

The compactor includes a ram plate 18 mounted for horizontal reciprocation within the drawer by pressing means [not shown] to compact garbage in a space shown by the arrow 20 across a forward drawer face plate 36. The drawer is enclosed by sides 34 and a bottom [not shown], but is open at the top for emplacement of garbage therein. The drawer per se is slidable within an opening 28 in the housing formed by sidesl2 and ends 16 for opening and removal. The forward plate 36 comprises the end surface against whichthe trash placed in the open drawer opening 20 is compacted at extremely-high pressure, easily sufficient to break and compress rigid trash objects such as'bottles, cans, bones, intermixed with decomposable, usually odor-emitting garbage encountered in usual trash disposal. a

The drawer opening 20 containing garbage becomes, as shown in dotted line position of FIG. 1, disposed beneath an ultra-violet lamp 44 whereby the lamp will irradiate ultra-violet light downward through the top 14 upon the garbage or trash in the space which the same would normally occupy. The lamp 44 as shown in section in FIGS. 2 and 3 comprises a starter element 40 activated by a current input line 42, supplying current to the lamp 44 which may be a conventional mercury vapor lamp. The lamp per se is supported between contact pins 46 at opposite ends. The top plate 14 of the compactor is cut open for partial insertion and support of the lamp, the cut-away portionbeing an elongated slot 48 therebetween sized to partially support the lamp therein as shown in FIG. 3. The lower portion of the plate is closed by a grill 50 which has a series of barsseparated a distance sufficient to allow light to be irradiated downward upon walls 34 and the garbage therein while preventing any sizable portions of the refuse from contacting the lamp.

The outer or upper end of the lamp is encased in a housing 52 bonded to the top at its sides by a series of bolts 54 which serve as a protective cover from the outer and upper end of the lamp. While as shown the lamp is preferably mounted upon a preferred type of compactor wherein the garbage is compacted in a drawer slidable of the outlet housing, the lamp can be mounted over any open space or above the garbage, wherever it is positioned in a compactor. Consequently, where as in some known types of compactors, the garbage is compacted downward rather than horizontally, the lamp will be relocated such as in a side forward wall for optimum irradiation of the walls or open spaces above the garbage, however it may be disposed in the compactor.

Sometimes it is useful to equip a compactor with a hopper 56 which may be a definite length such as the chute shown in F IG. 6, and which mounted over the top 14 of the space 20 of the drawer, whereby garbage and refuse may be placed into the hopper and pushed downward into the space 20 of FIG. I for compacting of the garbage, as shown in FIG. 4., The hopper may have a pair of spring loaded doors 58 biasing the doors to close the opening in the top 14 of the compactor. The space above the garbage is enclosed by the doors 58. The pressure of the garbage being pushed downward into the hopper causes the doors to swing open to allow entry thereof into the compactor space. After pushing the garbage into the compactor, the springloaded doors return to the closed position moving as shown by the arrows 60. The lower side wall ends of the hopper 56 adjoining the top 14 are rectangularly bent to form cubical shields 49, each similar to a shield 52 as shown in FIG. 3. A pair of U.V. lamps 44 are mounted in the cubical space beneath each shield 49, extending from side to side of the hopper 56. The bottom of the housing corresponding to the top portion 14 may similarly be protected by a grill 50 as shown in FIG. 2, whereby the lamps 44 in dotted line position of F [6. 4 will irradiate ultra-violet light downward upon the garbage passed through the hopper and disposed in the compactor space 20. The side walls of the hopper may also be protected by a grill 50 (not shown), so that the lamps 44 will also irradiate the interior of the hopper per se, thus preventing any odors to be evolved from the hopper walls.

As shown in FIG. 6 ultra-violet radiation lamps may be suitably placed in other ducting such as, for instance, a garbage chute leading to a compactor 10. For this purpose the ultra-violet lamps 64 and 66 may be disposed in walls 68 of a garbage chute such as may be used for servicing an apartment building at the bottom of which, forming a continuation of a hopper 56, may similarly be disposed a garbage compactor as in FIG. 5. Each floor of the building may be serviced by a spring loaded door 70 having a handle 72 which, when opened to the dotted line position, allows refuse to be inserted. The lamps 64 and 66 mounted above and below the door 70 keep that portion of the chute as well as other portions wherein lamps are mounted as needed, free of odors.

The ultra-violet light irradiating lamps hereof may be typical Westinghouse STERILAMPS as described in the publications referred to above, operable with a wattage ranging from about 3 to watts, and will irradiate ultra-violet light in a wave length ranging from about 1,800 to 6,000 au. The light is usually generated by mercury vapor in the lamp both of high and low pressure types. Typically the most effective radiation is in the range of 2,000 to 3,500 au, and preferably from 2,200 to 3,100 au. Such lamps usually are operable with a current input in the range of about 0.08 to 0.425 amperes. The lamp will extend from side to side of the support as shown, and although only one is shown in H6. 1, two or more may be used as shown either in a single housing 52 or each separated as at the dotted line position in FIG. 1.

It will be apparent that the garbage and trash conveying chute with trash admitting doors or hopper to supply the garbage thereto may pass the uncompacted garbage to any point of collection or disposal such as the compactor of FIG. 1 in preferred construction and use, such chute and hopper being odor protected by suitable mounting of ultraviolet lamps as herein described. However, such chute may also be used to convey already compacted garbage packets away from the compactor to a collection point. in either case, the principle of protecting the contaminated walls of the chute and hopper with ultra-violet lamps mounted to effect this is the same and as described in FIGS. 4 to 6 such mounting of a chute and hopper leading either toward or away from a compactor or even from any source point to any disposal point is intended to be within the scope of this invention.

As thus described a combination of a garbage or trash compactor with a source of ultra-violet light is described, effective to destroy odors in the vapors above garbage and surface bacteria, as these are developed in a compactor including the vapors of an empty compactor whereby, upon opening of the compactor, no bad odors will emanate therefrom; nor will any be present during actual use or storage of the compactor in a critical household area such as a kitchen area, whether or not the compactor is opened.

Accordingly, the above description is given by way of illustration and not by way of limitation of the invention, except as defined in the claims as they are appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. In a garbage handling system, a compactor having pressure-resistant walls confining a compacting space in which garbage to be compacted is placed, means for compacting the garbage in said space, means mounted outside of said garbage compacting space for emitting ultra-violet light ray openings in at least one of said walls between said radiation means and compacting space allowing passage of said ultra-violet light rays from said radiation means into said garbage compacting space, destroying odors therein.

2. The garbage handling system as defined in claim 1 wherein said openings in said pressure resistant wall comprise a pattern of perforations large enough to allow free passage of ultraviolet rays through said walls while inhibiting substantial movement of large solids therethrough under pressure of said compacting means.

3. The garbage handling system as defined in claim 1 wherein said openings are perforations in said wall substantially shielding the ultra-violet light generation means from substantial influx of garbage while allowing passage of ultraviolet rays into said compacting space.

4. A garbage collecting system as defined in claim 1 including a chute for passing the garbage into said compacting space.

5. A garbage collecting system as defined in claim 1, further including a chute for passing garbage into said compacting space, and ultraviolet light generating means mounted to irradiate light both upon the walls of said chute and the walls of said compacting space.

therein. 

1. In a garbage handling system, a compactor having pressureresistant walls confining a compacting space in which garbage to be compacted is placed, means for compacting the garbage in said space, means mounted outside of said garbage compacting space for emitting ultra-violet light rays, openings in at least one of said walls between said radiation means and compacting space allowing passage of said ultra-violet light rays from said radiation means into said garbage compacting space, destroying odors therein.
 2. The garbage handling system as defined in claim 1 wherein said openings in said pressure resistant wall comprise a pattern of perforations large enough to allow free passage of ultra-violet rays through said walls while inhibiting substantial movement of large solids therethrough under pressure of said compacting means.
 3. The garbage handling system as defined in claim 1 wherein said openings are perforations in said wall substantially shielding the ultra-violet light generation means from substantial influx of garbage while allowing passage of ultraviolet rays into said compacting space.
 4. A garbage collecting system as defined in claim 1 including a chute for passing the garbage into said compacting space.
 5. A garbage collecting system as defined in claim 1, further including a chute for passing garbage into said compacting space, and ultraviolet light generating means mounted to irradiate light both upon the walls of said chute and the walls of said compacting space.
 6. In a garbage handling system, a compactor comprising a drawer slidable into and out of a housing and enclosing a compacting space in which garbage to be compacted is placed, means for compacting the garbage in the space enclosed by said drawer, an upper closure means above said drawer having openings therein and ultra-violet irradiating means mounted above said openings positioned to direct ultraviolet light rays through said openings into the garbage compacting space within said drawer, destroying odors therein. 